DONIPHAN, Neb.— July 17.Denny Eckrich of Tiffin, Iowa took advantage of a late race restart and after
executing a daring move at the top of turns one and two, took the lead and held on to win the O’Reilly Auto
Parts/National Championship Racing Association late model nationals finale at Mid-Nebraska Speedway in Doniphan,
Nebraska on Saturday.

Corey Zeitner
started on the pole for the 40 lap affair but it was outside front row starter Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colorado
taking the lead when the green flag fell.

Boen paced the
field while behind him, two-time and defending series champion Kyle Berck and Eckrich waged a spirited battle
for the runner up position as all three drivers quickly distanced themselves from the rest of the
field.

Action slowed on
lap 12 for a spin, and once racing action resumed, so did the torrid pace set by the front
runners. The three drivers had lapped up to the tenth place position by the races midway point with
four-time series champion Boen continuing out front.

However, changes to
the top spot would change with a lap 32 caution when Al Humphrey came to a stop on the race
track.

The restart saw
Boen and Berck battle hard for position for several laps before Eckrich decided to give the top side of the
three-eighths mile track a test. And a test he did as he drove around Boen and Berck, almost being forced off
the track, only to keep his momentum down the backstretch and make a successful pass on the two front runners on
lap 34.

There was no
stopping Eckrich from that point on as he led the final six laps to claim his first ever series late model
nationals victory and first ever with the series.

Boen held off Berck
for the runner up position with Travis Dickies claiming the fourth position. Former series champion Delbert
Smith of Wichita, Kansas capped off a successful weekend with a solid fifth place
finish.